When Evil Prevails

Section 25

Writer - Gabriel Shaytan

FX is a Rysher production in conjunction with Fireworks Entertainment Inc. and Winterset Productions Inc as well as Hallmark Entertainment.

Don’t own ‘em, aren’t bein’ paid.
   

        The FX van rolled up to the warehouse and pulled to a stop, Mira in the driver's seat while in the back, Angie kept an eye on the information being received from the devices planted in the car.
 
        Mira… I'm not getting a reading from the car, no movement, and no noise from the microphones… it's like there's no one in it.
        ' Can you tell where they are in the building?' Mira asked, coming to stand next to the obviously worried effect's expert.
        ' Um… yeah, the IR camera should be okay, you'll need to get closer so I can get a shot through the window'
        ' Right'

        The van crept closer, Angie anxiously waiting, not knowing if they were going to come under fire or not, hoping that by doing this she wouldn't put Rollie in more danger.
        ' Ok, that's far enough' she called, raising the camera and slowly scanning the inside of the warehouse ' I see the car, but other than that nothing… they're gone Mira'
        ' What do you mean gone, the rest of the building has been covered, they couldn’t have come out'
        ' Not outside maybe' Angie answered, moving to the door of the van, intent on taking a closer look.
        ' Where do you think you're going?' Mira asked.
        ' Mira, Rollie should be in there, he's not, I want to know why'
        ' We have to wait for Tony, he's in charge'
        ' You might… I'm not'

        Squatting by the door to the warehouse, Angie pulled out her P.D.A and swept it along the bottom of the door, replaying the video she caught sight of the wire she'd almost expected.

        Tony stopped his car and hurried over, throwing Mira an annoyed glare when he saw Angela already at the door.
        ' What's going on?' he asked.
        ' I wouldn't open this door, it's wired' Angie answered.
        ' We need a way in'

        Angie looked up at the open slatted window and then back at the truck.  Heading over, she stepped inside, moving to where Bluey sat, waiting.
        ' Hey Blue, we got a problem but you can help us' she said, lifting the robot and carrying it back outside.

        Placing the robot on the floor she moved back to the truck and put on her headset, linking to Bluey's voice activated command module.
        ' Launch ROU Bluey' she said, fingers hovering over the remote optical unit's controls.

        Angie watched, only subconsciously aware that Mira and Tony had joined her as she guided the small flyer through the open window.  Sending it scouting the warehouse, going past the door she hovered, examining the door mechanism and the wire she'd spotted before grinning in acceptance, a suppressed look on her face.
        ' Ok guys, you can open the door, it's a fake' Angie explained ' but there's still no sight of them, the car is empty'

        The two officers ducked as the small unit flew in through the door and Angie landed it on the desk before closing it's wings down.  ' Sorry about that, I don't have a lot of hours logged flying this little guy' she answered, anxiously looking at the warehouse, wondering what was happening this time and hoping Rollie wouldn't try anything stupid.  The two detectives headed to the door and Angie moved outside to return the small unit to Bluey's care.

        Inside the warehouse quickly, weapons out despite the recce that Angie had done, the two detectives quickly scouted the area before moving their attention to the car as the other officers established the crime scene… such as it was.
        ' This place is too neat' Angie muttered, looking at the floor, surprising the two detectives by being inside.
        ' Angela… you're not meant to be here… you know that' Mira said softly, taking her aside.
        ' I thought you were meant to be watching me… has that changed?' Angie answered ' besides, I already know where they went… and you have a big problem'
        ' Where?' Tony asked, overhearing the comment.
        ' See that manhole?' Angie answered, pointing ' and don't tell me it's too rusted to be opened.  I've already checked it out and it has fresh grease on the hinges… you can smell it.  It's remotely operated, the whole thing swings upwards… it just looks like it's a normal rusted shut cover'
 

        A third man met the others after they'd wound their way through the sewer system for ten minutes.  Rollie swore they were approaching a river, the slight difference in the feel of the air, a slight breath of fresh air blowing were acknowledged, but he kept it to himself.

        He was sure the man must be Horton, the man they'd called earlier, and he was sure he was there to provide transportation, the man was prepared for the sewers, thick boots on, but they covered suit trousers and he wore a suit jacket above it.

        Sloshing through the water, glad he'd worn his usual boots that day, Rollie stopped as the man in front, John, paused.  He'd already learnt that John was the hothead, probably the one who'd shot Steven's bodyguard and he already disliked the Australian.
        ' What is it?' Clem asked from behind Rollie, stepping forwards.
        ' There's someone by the truck' he said softly.
        ' Who is it?' Horton asked, standing to one side, watching the others.
        ' A subway engineer' John answered equally as softly.
        ' We need the truck, we'll have to silence him' Clem replied, something like regret in his voice.
        ' No… don't kill him' Rollie said, the time to stay silent was finished.
        ' We have no choice' Clem answered.
        ' Let me knock him out' Rollie answered ' I can get close enough'
        ' What?' Clem asked.
        ' Just let me do it, it'll save his life, and if you don't kill anyone else… perhaps your's as well'
        ' You think the cops will find us?  They don't have a chance'
        ' They'll find the manhole and they'll never stop searching'
        ' and why is that?' john asked sneeringly.
        ' Him' Rollie answered, pointing at Steven ' and because they're my friends'

        Clem looked at John, then Horton, he knew it was his decision and for some reason he trusted the man, it was irrational but he knew the man was doing it to save the engineer's life.

        Rollie didn't wait to be asked, he slipped into the wider tunnel without a sound, once he'd started he knew they couldn’t follow.  The only problem was… if he did what he said, he couldn't escape, they'd simply kill the engineer anyway… and he didn't have much time, these tunnels were in use a lot.

        Sighing he moved around, silently coming up behind the man, until that moment he hadn't considered how he'd do it, only that he had to make an effort to keep the man alive.  Wrapping an arm around the man's neck he lifted and pulled tightly, hoping to cut off the air supply and put the man unconscious.

        The man struggled, elbowing Rollie in the ribs but he'd been caught unaware, unable to take the instinctive breath before being choked and he quickly slipped into darkness.

        Throwing the man in the back of the truck, Rollie watched the others hurry from the doorway in the wall and saw Steven pushed into the truck while Horton took the wheel and Clem climbed into the back next to him.

        Rollie saw the light's approaching and knew they'd need to move fast to be away, Horton didn't disappoint and the truck accelerated down the tracks, the special equipment under the truck connecting to the subway rails to make a smooth ride.
 

        ' They could have gone anywhere down there' Mira said angrily ' Damn it, doesn't Rollie have a tracker on him or something?' she finished, looking to see Angie shaking her head, the worry in them obvious.

        Angie moved back to the truck, trying to think of a way to find Rollie as Tony walked over to where Mira stood ' The captain ordered me to help find Tyler… so what's the plan?'
        ' Nothing so far, the P.D.A was in the car, otherwise Angie could have tracked it but now… I don't know' Mira answered… ' Keep in touch, I'll be with Angie'

        In the van Angie was staring at monitor screen, desperately trying to think of some way to find Rollie.  ' Why can't I think of anything?' she kept muttering ' Come on'.
        ' Why would they choose the sewers?  There isn't any way they could move quickly through them, and that means they need it for some other reason, to reach somewhere else…'

        Fingers flew across the keyboard, bringing up the city's sewer system and highlighting where they were and what the line connected to… Nothing, no large outlets they could climb out of, this pipe was fed only from small pipes, mostly from houses, only a few manholes in the area and cops had had the streets covered.  So what did that leave?  ' The subway' Angie said, looking at the screen for a moment before bringing the subway tunnels on screen, overlaying the tunnel.

        A mile away was an entry door, to allow easy access to the sewer if it was needed, large enough to fit several people through… so there it was.  But where from there?  The subway didn't stop at those locations though, but maybe… maybe that's what the phone call had been about.  Thinking back to several shoots they'd done on an old deserted part she saw the four wheel drive with the ability to run on those tracks, like the engineers used.

        Mira slipped into the van and saw Angie working away, didn't talk since it was obvious that the effects artist was working feverishly, and that only meant something to do with Rollie and what was going on.

        A minute later saw Angie turn around, seeing Mira there said ' Let's go, they've got a good lead by now… head for the subway station six blocks down'
        ' Subway?' Mira asked.
        ' They hopped from the sewers into the subway… that was what the call was about… it all fits' Angie answered.
        ' Angie… I know you're worried but…'
        ' Mira… trust me, it feels right' Angie answered ' we're not doing any good sitting around here anyway'
        ' You're right about that, and the subway's as good a place as any to look'
        ' We don't have to look Mira, we can scan for him remember' Angie answered, lifting the multi-directional sensor set to his body signals.
        ' Now THAT… is a good idea' Mira called back from the driver's seat, already starting the engine, it suddenly felt right to her as well.